Karen Kenobi

Bry's Big Flight

The planet they made their home upon was truly perfect for this pair of dragons. They had the room to fly, and room to grow. And of course, room to argue.

Bry would growl that the female took the best nesting spots on the high ground, and then Delyth would sigh and complain that he always chased her away when the sun was getting to be its warmest.

"There is far more space on that mountainside," Karen said with a low growl in her voice, "than you two could EVER fill. Now go up there separately and - stop - bothering - me."

They noticed that Karen was working on some device, she'd had its splayed contents all over the vast landing room's floor.

Why was she working on something there? Asked Delyth. She knew that our wings would disturb it, I saw little parts flying off.

She wanted the light I think, Bry answered. As they flew up into the canopy over the temple, he nudged her tail with his nose. I am sorry I snapped at you this morning. Your hide is looking very nice, and I should want you to show it off.

... You are joking with me, Bry, you're never nice. Delyth said with suspicion. Why are you being nice all of a sudden?

Well... They found a pair of good ledges that had signs of their own scraping and settling from the last year's worth of basking. They were far enough apart that both could stretch out, without interrupting each other's sun. Brychwynth continued after he'd found the right angle to lay his broad head. I know that you're a bit lonely, but you don't like me as a partner more than I am now.

You have that right, Delyth thought carefully. I do not think you and I should become mates. And I am not ready to be a mother just yet.

But I'm not ready to just sit out your heat, and you're going to be in it soon, Delyth. Bry said, and Delyth gave a little trumpet of shock.

You say that? How do you even know? Karen does not say anything to you that she will not share with me.

I wasn't talking to Karen about it... I was talking to the other creatures here. About you. There are a couple of them that are even big enough to be a mate - but they can't fly.

Thank goodness for that! Delyth exclaimed. I would not want to breed with something that was not my own kind!

Exactly... Why I bring it up... Bry kind of hemmed and hawed. I have not told Karen this, but I think I should go find myself a flight to take my mind off you.

Delyth was silent for a while. You would do that for me, or for you?

Both, Brychwynth admitted. I would like to compete, and there are no other males to puff up against yet, here.

Yet?

Yet - there might be more people to come, Karen is lonely.

I know - she will not admit it. Delyth nodded, and fanned her wing out. But I am just not ready yet.

Would you be willing to be here alone, if I went? I do not know if places take dragons alone without riders to ... file their paperwork.

There is paperwork to mate?! What humans think of! They have problems!

Something else we agree upon! Laughed Bry. They quieted down, and for a long bunch of minutes, they were thinking alone. Until Bry nudged into Delyth's mind again softly. Some day, I would like for us to pair up. To see your markings and mine mix. Not yet, though. I would not do that if you did not agree.

He heard her pick up and fold her wings back, and looked up a bit to see her gazing at him from across the little bumpy terrace.

You mean that, and I appreciate that. Thank you, Bry. I promise you - some day. We will fly together. And perhaps when you have flown some other times, you might be good enough to catch me!

She tittered and flew off the side of the mountain, as Brychwynth muttered to himself.

***

"Why didn't you tell me about this?" Karen asked, as the pair of dragons sat in the hall and watched her pace. "I mean, one of you here alone? Will that be safe?"

Karen, my love, my heart, I am a dragon. And I can fly - and hide in here if I have to, from other flying things. I will be all right, and you will find him a good partner. Keep him away from me for a while.

"You're okay with this?" Karen shot at the female, who nodded. "Well.... I guess since you've talked it over, I can't really refuse. But what about this flight you want to be in? Where is it again?"

It is at a spaceport, sort of. I heard about it through the nexus while I was exersizing. Bry said.

He'd been practicing, as they knew the Nexus better than Karen knew hyperspace. They teleported all the time, when they were playing hide and seek or when they were trying to evade those airborne predators. Through the Nexus there was information to be had, and Brychwynth had found out about a new place needing flying males.

There is a flight, a beautiful rainbow green. Her rider is a woman, but I do not know if they have to ... well, stop you from being my rider or something.

"No one could do that, my love," Karen laughed. "And from what I saw at the Caverns, there were plenty of women riding male dragons, and men on females. It's okay. I hope."

They settled things up and Karen put her 'toys' away. She might need some things to barter, while out, so she collected other small tradable things in addition to what little clothing she had and such. Delyth nuzzled her rider warmly before they departed.

I will be here when you get back and I expect you to tell me all about this place you've found. And, she nodded to Brychwynth, I expect you to tell me how you expertly caught this green.

With a bit of amazement, then, Karen mounted up the medium sized red-white, and bid her teal-blue companion farewell. "Off to Star City," she said, and they went in search of the place.

***

Unfortunately, Brychwynch didn't win his first big flight. However, another opened up with a very odd twist. The breeding project almost guaranteed that he'd find a partner, and when he did, the results were marvelous!

Now, on their way back to their temple home, Brychwynch and Karen were joined by the young male Rycynrebth. However... They were also joined by Rycynrebth's ... rider.

She clucked and hemmed and was in constant motion. Unless Karen scowled at her, in which case she would freeze perfectly still - her plumage hardly daring to fall if she thought Karen would be unamused.

"Geanna," Karen said, "you know you're welcome to come to the temple."

"It's an awful place," she harrumphed. "Look at it," she waved one of her feathered hands around, "it's just so cold and dreary. It needs ... some oomph!"

With that, the grouse Kin strutted off to locate ... whatever it was she needed to make herself a home in the temple.

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